How can i get little one to start falling asleep alone?

Once he is asleep - he sleeps for a good 6+ hours. But actually getting him to sleep is hard work. He won't go to sleep unless someone is holding him and at night especially, wakes himself back up every couple minutes for well over an hour. We started his bottle at 10pm and he's still fidgeting and squirming awake in OH (other half) arms now.

How do I get him to the point where if he is fed and all ok that I can just put him in his cot and let him fall asleep alone without screaming bloody murder? OH (other half) gets so annoyed that he can't just put him in his bed after a feed and trying to explain that maybe J isn't a self settler yet isn't working either.

Can I do anything? Or should I wait until he is older to try anything? Thanks ladies

My baby won't settle if he has wind or uncomfortable,it's easier to h...

Posted
03/11/2017

My baby won't settle if he has wind or uncomfortable,it's easier to help a baby self settle when awake than when asleep if you know what I mean? X

So if he's already sleeping leave him be sort of thing but if he's awake let him try to self settle? I can see how that would work but he always starts falling asleep on the bottle and feeds while asleep too x

I go with him if he's hungry I feed him,if he's upset I comfort him if he's tired and I'm doing something wrong he sleeps eventually but otherwise even in the day if he's tired with wind he wakes alot with a start and then nods off, I know he's uncomfortable, itry not to disturb him at all when sleeping x

I put mine down and if they won’t settle I pop a hand on their chest and maybe one on top of their head and they soon settle and then once settled I remove. I never try to put mine down asleep as they would only wake and be terrified as they’ve woken up somewhere different than they went to sleep.

We have this problem it’s like he fights sleep at night the only way to get him to sleep is putting him in the car seat and swinging it back and forth 😂better than having to take him for a drive to get him to sleep right enough 😂x

I spoke with HV (Health Visitor) about this on Thursday and she suggested at this stage to put LO (little one) down before completely unconscious asleep (as often falls asleep feeding) so they are aware they aren’t on you. Also to comfort by putting one hand on tummy and one on head. To leave for a few moments when they wake to see if they resettle themselves. Have started doing the first bit and seems ok so far, but a fine balance between getting wind up first and him being completely comatose before going down!! She also advised its too early to start sleep training methods so at this stage just to try and nudge them in right direction. X

It's s nice idea to put them down when still awake but I agree with PP (previous poster) that sometimes they're comatose from feeding or being kept upright for a good time lost feeding to avoid reflux etc.

My boy has just started self settling st nearly 11 weeks. For eg he was v tired in day but wouldn't sleep. I didn't want to over stimulate so put him in bouncer with dummy to watch me wash up and slowly his eyes dropped to sleep. It took ages though.

So I've found not trying to force it and letting him take his time works. He then slept for ages.

In day I try and put him down when awake and met him drift off. Sometimes it works sometimes not.

I don't think there's an easy answer but consistency. So maybe try the hand on tummy and head and white noise and dummy or whatever every time and eventually he'll hopefully accept it

We use white noise at night but I would never force self settling at this age. I'm amazed it has happened sometimes for my 9 week old o really do not expect such a young baby to self settle. She's ebf and has reflux so I have to keep her upright after feeds. She goes to bed around 9pm after cluster feeding and sleeps 5-7 hours. I put her down asleep if she's asleep after last feed and awake if she's awake. Makes no difference to how she sleeps that night if she's self settled or not. Day sleep is a different matter and she rarely goes to sleep by herself. I'd not expect it at this age. Anyway once 4 month sleep regression hits it all goes tits up in my experience (hubs calls it 'when the baby stops working ' 😂 fingers crossed that's not the case this time. Lots of friends weren't badly affected but we were with my first!

My girly -12w - will self settle if she is winded properly and not over tired. Dummy in white noise or some calming music from the owl and she will lie there til she goes to sleep. Day and night. It's never long, I watch her on monitor if she upstairs or come back in the room a few times if she in Moses.
But it's screams a plenty if she not winded or not had her ranitidine- she has reflux and that stuff is like magic juice. Instantly calm and content as the pain goes away.
I take it you've looked down the silent reflux route...

Both my other two babies were the same and would self soothe this young.

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